December 3, 2013: At Syracuse

Last year, Syracuse knocked Indiana out of the NCAA tournament in embarrassing fashion. You can bet Tom Crean has reminded his team about that game all offseason.

Sure, the rosters may be different, but players such as Will Sheehey and Yogi Ferrell will be out for revenge against the Orange.

This game is the highlight of an otherwise pretty weak Indiana nonconference schedule. It's IU's best chance to show the country the program hasn't lost a step despite losing its top players from a season ago.

January 4, 2014: Michigan State

When the Michigan State Spartans come to Bloomington, there is a good chance they will be ranked in the top five, perhaps even No. 1.

Any time you get to take on one of the best teams in America, it's a big game for the program.

This contest will be a good barometer for IU. The Hoosiers will get to see how they stack up against a top team.

Playing well would give a young IU squad plenty of confidence for the rest of the season.

IU has a history of taking down elite Michigan State teams in Assembly Hall. In the 2000-01 season, the No. 1 Spartans were knocked off by a last-second Kirk Haston three-pointer. Two years ago, Michigan State came to Bloomington as the No. 2 team and left with a loss.

February 15, 2014: At Purdue

This game is always a highlight of the Hoosiers' schedule. IU faces its archrival just once this year, and it's on the road.

This contest will have added meaning because Indiana has dominated the series as of late. The Hoosiers embarrassed Purdue twice last year, so those results will be on the minds of Purdue players and fans alike.

In order to keep the momentum in the rivalry, Indiana must knock off what will be a much-improved Purdue team.